Apple AirPods

A new report this morning — ought to be taken with utmost caution — from MySmartPrice corroborates rumors of a Spring launch for AirPower, and says updated AirPods will feature a “new design” and a grip-inclined coating. The source also calls for improved audio quality from the buds, a black color offering, and an improved design allowing for greater bass response.

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The second-generation AirPods and corresponding wireless charging case are still missing in action, but when they do finally launch, a certain Santa Barbara, CA-based company will be ready. Nomad, maker of mobile accessories for the iPhone, released its all-in-one Apple Watch + iPhone + AirPods charger a few months ago, obviously anticipating an update to Apple’s popular wireless earbuds.

The Nomad Base Station Apple Watch Edition is currently sold out, but a source close to the company informed me that it expects units to be back in stock soon. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough inside as we explore the ins and outs of Nomad’s three-coil wireless charger.

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AirPods continue to prove a hit despite being unchanged after two years. Look no further than the recent ‘AirPods for Christmas’ meme that spanned social media. But while Apple’s wireless earbuds continue on their path as a cultural phenomenon, AirPods are showing signs of aging for early adopters.

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The AirPods integration is fantastic on iOS with system level support on the iPhone and iPad. And to a certain extent, they’re easy to use on Apple Watch and Apple TV as well. However, the Mac seems to be a lone wolf as it arguably has the worse integration within Apple’s ecosystem.

However that changes with AirBuddy, a brand new utility for macOS that brings iOS-like AirPods integration to the Mac.

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Earlier today, Apple released the first beta of iOS 12.2 for developers. This first release includes quite a few changes and new features, which you can learn more about in our post. One of those changes, which is currently hidden from public view, is the addition of a new setup screen that’s used when configuring AirPods. This new setup screen clearly states that the user will be able to talk to Siri with AirPods or iPhone by saying “Hey, Siri”.

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The AirPods continue to be a smash hit sensation for Apple. However, having launched more than 2 years ago at this point, the focus in the tech community has moved to expectations as to when the AirPods 2 will come out, the first hardware update to Apple’s wireless earbuds.

A report from Digitimes today says Apple will release AirPods 2 within the first six months of 2019. Moreover, it claims that the earbuds will be redesigned to support health monitoring functions.

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Apple clone-maker Xiaomi launched its $29 AirDots back in November, true wireless in-ear headphones whose branding and white color were an obvious play on AirPods. Details have today emerged of an even more blatant AirPods clone, copying Apple’s ‘stick’ design …

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AirPods are a joy to use on iOS devices, but when comes to the Mac, things are a bit different. With iOS, AirPods almost always automatically connect to your preferred device, but their reliability on macOS is a bit buggy.

Thankfully, there’s an excellent third-party app called ‘ToothFairy’ that dramatically improves the experience of using AirPods on macOS.

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Bang & Olufsen looks to be one of the early companies to begin offering fully wireless earphones with a wireless charging case. While we’re still waiting on Apple to offer a wireless charging case for AirPods (and AirPower), B&O is updating its Beoplay E8 premium earphones with a new wireless charging case and more.

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Apple did its part in moving the world to wireless headphones. With the removal of the headphone jack with iPhone 7, the company made it clear that the future of audio is wireless. However, the company had already noted its vision well before the iPhone 7 with the original Apple Watch. Years later, the company continues removing the jack in more devices such as iPad Pro.

Today, we’re looking at wireless audio. Specifically, the different Bluetooth audio codecs and why they play an important role in the future of audio. Earlier this year we broke down Bluetooth 5.0 and its role in pushing the wireless revolution forward. Learn more about that here.

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AirPods were a super popular Christmas gift this holiday season. If you were lucky enough to receive them, here are a few tips and tricks to help make your listening experience even better.

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Apple has yet to release its wireless charging AirPods case or AirPower itself, but that isn’t stopping third-party accessory makers from releasing their own take on the idea. The latest attempt to bring wireless charging to AirPods comes from East Brooklyn Labs, a small accessory maker based in New York.

Dubbed SliQ, this AirPods wireless charging case is available in white, black, pink, and blue. The case costs $25 and is available now. Read on for our full review.

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For the first time, Apple is endorsing an add-on accessory for AirPods: a new set of protective AirPods cases from Catalyst. The cases are waterproof rated up to 1 meter and offer protection against drops. They also feature a carabiner to clip the AirPods case onto your clothing.

It’s a weird proposition for the first AirPods accessory to be stocked in Apple retail, given that the Catalyst case is only useful when you are not using the earbuds themselves.

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There are already a number of AirPods alternatives on the market – but noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes we’re about to get more. He points to supply-chain reports suggesting that both Google and Amazon are working on direct competitor products.

But he also expects Apple to work on holding its market lead by adding new functionality …

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A new patent granted to Apple today reveals some of the potential new features we could see in future AirPods. The most interesting part of the filing involves interchangeable earbuds equipped with “at least one” biometric sensor, which could detect left/right ear placement and accordingly adjust audio.

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The AirPods truly-wireless earbuds are on track to be Apple’s best growth product for the foreseeable future, according to Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo said that Apple will release an “upgraded model with wireless charging support” in the first quarter of 2019.

Kuo also said an all-new design for AirPods is currently on track to launch in early 2020 …

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While no one has managed to match the magic of AirPods in the almost two-year period since they hit the market, there is one Apple-endorsed pair of wireless earbuds that arguably fits the slot where theoretical AirPods Pro could exist.

Bose SoundSport Free Wireless are truly wireless, offer 5-hour battery, and include a protective charging case like Apple AirPods. SoundSport Free Wireless also adds water resistance with an IPX4 rating, in-ear sport tips for delivering louder sound and natural noise cancellation, and a higher retail price.

Bose hasn’t quite captured the wireless-without-compromise balance that Apple struck two years ago, but SoundSport Free Wireless includes a few significant features that may be worth the trade-off with AirPods in some situations.

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One of the key features of Apple’s HomePod speaker is the beamforming technology used to adjust the sound output to the shape of the room, and using those same microphones for a neat Siri trick. By cancelling out the music output, Siri commands can be easily heard by the speaker even when it is blasting out music at full volume.

A new Apple patent application, published today, suggests that Apple may be seeking to use the same basis of that beamforming tech in its rumored over-ear headphones, to achieve two things …

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